Christopher Lowden
2
Avid Coins
2
COW Coins
Forum Replies Created
-
Many thanks to you all for your advice. I am definitely less ignorant now.
I am not an engineer but a workflow consultant, so I juggle user problems whilst developing future proofing solutions for both production and post-production.
What comes out of this is that my client needs to reassure its TV channel clients that it can guarantee delivery. Companies like Avid reassure TV channels that there will not be any surprises. Personally, I know Avid very well but I find that their servers are very expensive and do not offer a cost effective failover solution. Therefore, I am looking for a compromise. The XSAN could have been a real alternative except it seems that Apple is not too bothered.Bob, there is nothing piddley about what you do. You are at the front end of one of the most important and exciting parts of the audio-visual industry. On top of that, you are one of its most generous and well informed specialists.
Below is a non exhaustive list of server solutions that could be considered as ‘professional’ or ‘enterprise’ level.
Apple – XSAN
https://www.apple.com/xsan/Active Storage
https://www.activestorage.com/activesan.phpQuantum
https://www.quantum.com/Solutions/Broadcast/index.aspxRorke
https://www.rorke.com/products-hyperdrive.cfmApace Systems
https://www.apacesystems.com/index.phpPromax
https://www.promax.com/Solutions/ProStorageSolutions/Editshare
https://www.editshare.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=131Terrablock
https://facilis.com/Avid
https://www.avid.com/US/products/family/ISISDVS
https://www.dvs.de/en/products/storage-solutions.htmlArchion
https://www.archion.com/prod-main.phpDDP
https://www.dynamicdrivepool.com/Isilon
https://www.isilon.com/media-entertainment -
Dear Mark
I am very happy to not be considered to be a complete idiot. I can confirm to you that I am a complete idiot. If not I would not need the advise of so many of you generously offer on this forum.Concerning my experience on XSAN, I know of an xserve that serve up the IT needs of a large advertising agency with 500 clients and it work reasonably well. My problem is that IT is non-critical and the XSAN I am talking about supplies media for numerous live TV shows. There is not a week that goes bye without a system crash. When I call Apple, they have no real answers and I get the impression that it is not a priority for them. If I had the same apple care service for the xsan that I get for my iphone, I would be a very happy camper.
I look forward to see what FCP8 is as it will give me an idea as to what the future of FCP is. Apparently it is really impressive.
-
Dear Bob
Thank you very much for the precious advise. It is just what I was looking for.Andrew, Also thanks for the reply.
Concerning my Apple enterprise comments, what I mean is that Apple has never really penetrated the enterprise market. They have expensive products that are less reliable in comparison to Windows and with an after sales service that is extremely poor. In france, where I live, it is non-existent.I also oversee large Avid installations which, like Avid or not, offer a very efficient enterprise class service and solution. Yes, it is not the same price at all and in reality not really the same market, but all the same an ISIS or Unity are still just media server. But that is where the comparison ends. I tried running 25 workstations using Active Directory on an xserve with xsan. It was a disaster. I don’t get these problems with Avid or other enterprise oriented products. All the same, personally I would buy a mac over a PC any day.
-
Many thanks for the returns.
The current setup of 35 terra promise, xsan 2.2 and 3 xserve controllers in failover, has worked surprisingly well for the past 3 years. It serves 25 FCP suites in PAL for predominately live TV shows. The turnaround is very fast. In the coming year, I am obliged to make everyone work in HD, therefore why I am investigating new solutions. To keep my current workflow in HD, I would need to triple the size of the server and that means loads of money. Money is not the issue, it is all about performance, stability and constructor . But when I look under the bonnet, I see that the servers crash repeatedly, there aer chronic problems with the metadata not being in phase with the fibre, chronic issues with file authorisations changing and terrible problems with licences that disappear and then reappear. You may say these are setup issues, but I feel that the xsan is not a dedicated video solution. It is more of a patch work IT solution that is admittedly very versatile and pretty high performance. It is such a shame that while Apple is leaving the enterprise market, it does not offer a credible alternative for large installations. So I am looking around. As for Metasan, I looked into it and found that it slowed down the system alot.But all in all, it is logic that I continue with xsan but what future is there for xsan?
-
I have a solution that seems to work on PAL 16:9 projects:
It is essential that the photoshop menu file, particularly the home menu be correctly setup. In PAL, the photoshop psd should be 720×576 with a 1.46 pixel ratio for 16/9 projects. The Pixal Aspect Raio choice is absolutely key to getting the elements to line up.
There is also talk about changing the highlight layer be name for disappearing hilights. See the thread below
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/675348?tstart=0
I hope this helps
-
I have the same problem with anamorphic pal dvds. When in square pixel, all works, but as soon as I am in anamorphic, which is 99% of the dvds, the buttons no longer align, getting worse, the further I am away from the centre of the image.
-
Sorry for the machine typo.
I knew there was a solution and you gave it to me. Thank you very much.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
-
The answer is a DMX Dimmer box.
-
I can understand the bm logic. So either I change the card or I buy a sdi driven monitor. I know which is cheaper. Many thanks for the reply.
-
no takers?